This idea emerges from a deep-seated ignorance of the stock market, so please tell me if I'm embarrassing myself by suggesting something that already exists. But... Share dealing is all about gambling on the future rise of the share value of a company - buy low, sell high. Why not establish a parallel anti-share market, in which you gamble on the decline in share prices? You buy 1000 anti-shares in Snibbo Inc. at £3 per share, and their market value falls to £2....meaning that their antishare value has gone up by £1. You then sell your anti-shares, making a profit of £1000. If this idea is a dud, can anyone else suggest how I can exploit my unwanted talent for identifying companies which are destined to fail spectacularly?-- Basepair, Dec 28 2004 Selling Short http://en.wikipedia.../wiki/Selling_shortWikipedia description of selling stocks you don't own. [Laughs Last, Dec 29 2004] Karma Banque http://www.karmabanque.com/Max Keiser's Contrarian Fund: "For all other inquiries, please remain on the line and an operator will be with you shortly... Actually, just drop us a note: stuff@karmabanque.com" [reensure, Jan 03 2005] This is perfect up until you equate the loss of money with the gain of money. See, when your anti-share raises in value by one pound, your anti-net-worth raises by one pound.-- contracts, Dec 29 2004 What you describe sounds like "selling short", see link.-- Laughs Last, Dec 29 2004 Beat our swords into anti-shares?-- normzone, Dec 29 2004 This is indeed a variation on selling short - no need for a new security.
While it is easy to spot a company that is going to decline in value, the hard part is predicting when. If you get it wrong, you can lose the shirt off your back.
All you can lose on a regular stock is the money you paid for it. And if it goes up, there is no limit to the amount of money you can make.
On the other hand, all you can make by selling a stock short is the amount of money you sell it for. And if it keeps going up, then there is no limit to the amount of money you can lose. (Well, there is: sooner or later the broker loses patience and repossesses your house.)
So invest with care, however dubious you are about the prospects for Snibbo, Inc.-- DrCurry, Dec 29 2004 I took the title litteraly and it is more fun that way. Buy the antishare if you hate the company (microsoft). The money does not go to the company (microsoft) but to a savingsaccount wich pays divident to antishareholders. Now we can all make money hating microsoft and buy new computers after we demolished the old ones out of frustration. It is a win/win situation.-- zeno, Dec 29 2004 Zeno - I hugely, colosally, vastly, overwhelmingly, thesaurially prefer your interpretation of my ill-fated idea over my own.-- Basepair, Dec 30 2004 gee thanks basepair, shell, dell, gm, gep....-- zeno, Jan 01 2005 random, halfbakery